This invention broadly relates to an improved surface active or cleaning composition which is expecially useful for removing stains, soil and foreign materials in general from a wide variety of substrates.
A large number of surface active agents have been used heretofore in formulating surface active compositions. Examples include the alkali metal soaps of long chain fatty acids, the alkali metal soaps of rosin acids and the derivatives of rosin acids, synthetic detergents of the anionic, cationic or nonionic types, and mixtures of one or more of the foregoing surface active agents. It has also been common practice to use inert diluents such as sodium sulfate, or builders such as polyphosphates, polysilicates or sodium carboxymethylcellulose in combination with one or more of the foregoing surface active agents. A number of nitrogen-containing sequestering agents, antibacterial agents, and enzymes capable of removing certain stains have also been added to surface active compositions heretofore.
Many of the commercially available surface active compositions presently recommended for general household and industrial uses are not entirely satisfactory for a number of reasons. The laundry detergents most widely used at the present time usually include phosphorus or nitrogen-containing compound which either directly or indirectly results in a pollution problem. The phosphates and nitrogen-containing compounds promote the growth of microorganisms and alga in streams and other bodies of water into which sewage is introduced and this results in an adverse change in the ecology. The presence of a high concentration of sodium sulfate and other soluble fillers also is undesirable when the water is to be reused downstream for purposes which require a low sodium or solubles content. In instances where laundry or dish washing detergents contain synthetic surfactants which are not destroyed by microorganisms at a sufficiently rapid rate, the surfactant concentration in streams tends to increase to an objectionable level. The enzymes presently added to laundry detergents are not effective for removing many stubborn stains and thus do not always produce the desired results. Also, all of the enzyme-producing microorganisms may not be killed prior to adding the enzyme to the laurdry detergent. It has been reported that the live microorganisms are capable of causing lung infections when finely divided particles of the laundry detergent are inhaled.
As a result of the above mentioned and other disadvantages, the art has long sought an entirely satisfactory surface active composition for general household and industrial use which does not require the presence of phosphorus or nitrogen-containing compounds, inert fillers, enzymes and the like. However, prior to the present invention an entirely satisfactory heavy duty surface active composition was not available which overcomes the pollution problems of the prior art and yet is capable of removing stubborn stains, deeply embedded soil and other foreign materials from numerous types of substrates.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved surface active composition which is useful as a general household and industrial cleanser.
It is a further object to provide an improved detergent composition which is especially useful in washing culinary articles.
It is still a further object to provide an improved laundry detergent which is useful in washing textile materials
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following detailed description and the specific examples.